The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-23
Pensacola's Growing Importance as a
Shipping Port.
From the 81. Louis Republican.


Mr.. Louis E. Thompson, of Pensacola,
Fla, is at the Southern. He is here on an
important Florida enterprise, and says that
within ten days he will be prepared to
speak advisedly of the efforts his State is
making toward realizing her advantages
and opportunities. In speaking of Pensacola
and its magnificent bay, he said: John
Roach, the great ship-builder, in speaking
to an inmate friend once, remarked that if
he were twenty years younger he would
move his shipyards to Pensacola bay, and |
think it would have been a wise move 1t
is conceded by all that this is the finest bay
on our coast, with the possible exception of
New York, and every material is
supplied for ship building. The
lumber coal and ron from
Tennessee and Alabama alone are sufficient
ly ample to build all the ships the world
will require for the next five centuries; then
the climate is exquisite. Iron plate for
ships can be manufactured the year round
without being interrupted for two months
in the year by severe cold and frost, which
makes it unlnalleable at some other yards
Our bay has an entrance only one-quarter
of a mile across its mouth, and at the owest
tide it never has less than twenty feet of
water. The harbor is surrounded on three
sides by land and is a perfect haven of rest
for all vessels. There is talk of an Euro
pean syndicate building a canal from about
seven miles below New Orleans to Pensa-
cola, following the eastern shores of the
Gulf, running through Mississippi
sound, Mobile bay, ana reaching our
town with comparatively little work for the
length, which would be about 100 miles, If
this should succeed it is desired to make
Pensacola the outlet seaboard town for all
mineral and agricultural products that will
be exported by the Mississippi valley
There are number of French capitalists
who are arranging to carry out other State
projects which viii greatly benefit our State,
but about which | cannot speak now. Pen
sacola has now population of 1900, and
this is double what it was three years ago.
The people are beginning to wake up to
their advantages and money from the North
and East is being invested amongst U.S.
Real estate agents are multiplying and
our future is indeed hopeful This
is an old Spanish town, and the pro-
gressive element of the new generation met
with strong opposition, and for years the
negroes and Spanish had things their own
way, but finally the progressive young
Democrats succeeded i'll passing law that
forfeited the charter of all towns or cities
which were in debt 5000, 900 or more, and
they were placed under the control of the
State. We were at the time more than this
amount in debt, and to our great joy the
Governor revoked our charter and placed
the city in the hands of seven Com
missioners, who were representative
men, and who elected a Mayor from
their number. This accounts for
cur new era of prosperity that is drawing
upon us, and the rapid influx of population
which has made us the second town in the
State. The Democrats in our county are
in favor of ceding all the territory lying
north of the Chattahoochee river i'll the
State of Alabama as nature seems to have
intended it. This would give us a repre-.
sentative in Congress that would be far
more satisfactory than we have at present
Pensacola may prove to be another Br-
mingham, or even greater progress may be
hers